This invention relates to a navigation and routing system primarily for complex domains to be negotiated by users.
Large complex public buildings, as well as public spaces, can often pose a daunting navigational problem to able bodied users, as well as to individuals with impaired mobility or learning disabilities.
Traditionally these problems have been overcome by such means as map displays, plans, sign-boards, and similar devices for guiding the user to a destination. However in large environments, these means are of necessity very complex, and can only cater for the needs of a perceived majority. Hospital accident and emergency departments, for instance, often supplement the above means by providing a coloured line painted on the floor to assist patients in finding their way to the X-Ray department. Though an effective solution for this most commonly required route, it would be impossible to paint different coloured lines on the floor to the many, less frequented, referral departments.
There is therefore a need to improve methods for providing navigation and routing information for use by the public or other users in complex domains such as buildings and public spaces. Furthermore, and especially in the case of hospitals, any such system should be sufficiently adaptable to enable the specific requirements of persons with varying physical and cognitive ability to be able to make use of it.
It has been proposed to deploy electronic beacon based navigation devices at various decision points on the routes in question. However, such devices have the major disadvantage of requiring individual installation and the supply of power thereto, in addition to the cost of procurement. In a complex building having perhaps hundreds of decision points, junctions, intersections or the like, hereinafter referred to as nodes, the cost of providing such devices is prohibitive.
According to the present invention there is provided, for a domain to be navigated and including a plurality of nodes, a navigation and routing system characterised by, at each node, a passive element the identity of which is unique to the address of the associated node, and an active navigation device programmed with an electronic map of the domain and capable of receiving information from the passive elements, the arrangement being such that, for any given destination within the domain, and on reading of the passive element at a first node by the navigation device, routing information is displayed by the navigation device to direct the user to the next node in the route leading to his destination.
Thus it will be appreciated that the expensive powered beacons of the prior art are replaced by relatively inexpensive passive elements each uniquely identifying a specific node or decision point within the domain, and a single navigation device capable of sequentially reading the passive elements to determine their details, processing said details and then, for a given destination, displaying directions for the next stage towards said destination.
Each passive element may comprise a contactless smart card, conveniently the size of a standard credit card, containing electronic circuitry, typically processor chips and non-volatile memory, powered by inductive coupling energy from the active navigation device.
Alternatively the coupling between the passive elements and the navigation device may be optical, electromagnetic or magnetic.